Stranded

“Dear Luna,

I headed to the factory this morning; I came to tell you, but you were sleeping so peacefully that I didn't wanted to disturb you. There’s a tea pot ready on the stove and a lot food in the kitchen, feel free to take whatever you want. I shall be back by night. Have a wonderful day.

Your friend, Jack.”

Luna finished reading the note and left it over the commode at her side. Yawning, she jumped out of the bed landing softly on the wooden floor thanks to her wings. Luna stretched her body feeling the little bumps on her muscles disappear with a pleasant sensation of release. Next, she brought her wings to her mouth to preening them; the sensation of her work on the soft feathers sent a chill through her spine and made her giggle. Once she finished and sighing happily, she opened them at their full wingspan to let the blood and strength ran through them.

With her morning routine finished, Luna opened the curtains, rearranged the bed leaving her crown, hoof shoes and chest plate over it and left the room going down to the first floor of the house. In the moment she entered the kitchen, the scent of the tea reached her nose and the little stress that she felt vanished. She took a cup of the hot liquid and a slice of what seemed to be apple pie and took them with her to the living room where she sat on the large couch.

“Well… this isn’t so bad.”

She told herself.

“At least I don't have to deal with those boring court sessions, I bet Celestia is…”

When the name of her sister escaped from her lips, a stroke of pain and melancholy pierced her heart and the cup she held in her aura fell to the ground shattering into pieces. A tear fell down her cheek and her lips quivered, but she shook her head to avoid that the sadness could take hold of her mind.

"No, nothing is lost yet; I must look for a way to find a spark, a line that I can follow, Yes that's it."

She jumped from the couch full of energy, but her bare hooves felt something cold beneath them.

"But first I have to clean up this mess."

Using magic to pick up the pieces of the cup, she took them to the kitchen and deposited them in the trash can. Then, Luna returned to the living room with a piece of cloth to dry the spilled liquid. Once everything was left in place, she took the pie and went to the library where she began to search through the books any material that could serve as a reference.

"Legends and Myths of the world. Yes, this may be an option."

"Magic, Myths and Reality. Magic is not a myth, perhaps it is here in this world but it can serve."

"Planet Earth. I guess I can learn a little more about this world, this book will be an excellent reference guide."

Luna took several books from the shelves and put them on desk to start reading while eating a piece of the pie.

***---***---***

"And with the change of gears plus the new module the machine will run 20% faster."

Said a young man to Jack who was walking beside him. The sound of metal against metal, alarms and other sounds of the factory indicated that the line was in full procedure at the moment, however, Jack seemed to be with his mind somewhere else, in fact, his thoughts focused on the unexpected guest who was alone at his home.

"And if she can´t use anything? What will happen if she wanted to prepare something in the oven and she doesn't close the valves correctly?

He was so immersed in his whirlwind of ideas that it took him a while to realize that his employee was waving his hand in front of his face.

"Sir?"

There was no answer.

"Sir Remington, are you all right?"

"What? Oh, yes, sorry Peter. I was... remembering something."

"I can see that Sir. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Peter, don't worry, I just... I need to review some papers so I'll see you later, keep the good job."

"Oh, of course, well, see you later Sir."

Jack made his way back to his office at the top of the factory, there, he asked to his secretary if there was any message or calls to which she answered him that there was none. He asked her to not pass any call and entered the office. Once he was alone in the room, he slumped in his chair and threw his head back.

"Stop thinking that something bad will happen."

He told himself.

"She's a grown... mare?... girl? You must trust that she can take care of herself, after all, her world sounds very similar to this. I do not think there is a problem for having left her home alone, right?

He asked to the marble bust in the shape of his father as if waiting for a response. Meanwhile, back in his home, Luna turned away from the book and sneezed loudly.

"Sir!"

His secretary's voice sounded over the intercom, something did not seem right since she sounded desperate, pressing the button, Jack replied.

"What's the matter Marie?"

She didn't gave him a proper answer, instead, he was able to hear some of her words.

"I told you that you don't have an appointment scheduled with Lord Remington. Hey! You cannot pass!"

The doors of the room were flung open and a tall man with white skin, blonde hair and dressed with a black military uniform entered through them; Jack recognized the man and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Bloody hell, not him, not this again.” He thought.

"Jack, mein freund!"

The man told him, Marie appeared behind him and looked at Jack with fear.

"I... I'm sorry sir."

"Don't worry Marie, everything is fine, please leave us alone."

She obeyed; Jack got up and stood in front of the desk.

"It seems that you forgot to tell your secretary that I can come to visit you without an appointment.”

"No Krause, I didn't forget it."

Jack told him with annoyed tone.

"Is that so? Well, maybe her ears are not working properly. I don't blame you; I bet you have many problems when seeking for good personal."

"Actually, she heard perfectly when I said that I didn’t want anything to do with Krause Ornstein and his men."

Krause looked at him incredulously, but a moment later started laughing in an exaggerated manner.

"Always the joker, isn't it, Jack?"

Jack resigned and walked to one of the shelves.

"Since you're here, I can offer you something to drink, whiskey, rum... some tea?

Krause shuddered.

"Tee? Widerlich."

Jack chuckled at Krause's reaction; he knew perfectly that the soldier hated tea.

"I prefer a glass of whiskey; I still don't know how you British can drink that infusion of herbs and roots."

"If only you taste it, I bet you would like it."

He said giving the glass to Ornstein, he only shook his head and raised his drink in a kind of toast before taking it in a single chug.

"It's a good whiskey the one you got there, mein freund."

"Whatever. Now let's go to the point, to what have you come this time Krause?"

"I think you're right, we should not give more laps around the bush."

Krause left the glass on the table and pulled out an envelope from his jacket handing it to Jack. He just took it without opening it.

"For the last time, I will not access to build what you ask me in my factory."

"You must stop being so stubborn Jack, is it that you do not you see the earnings and growth that this can give you?"

Jack tossed the envelope to the floor in front of Krause.

"How many times do I have to repeat it? I build things to help the society. You just want to build things to destroy it, for the last time, I will not participate in something so perverse."

Krause closed his eyes, took a deep breath and smiled.

"You're tired, I understand. I'll let you think a little more, I'll come back next week to close the details of the deal."

Jack was stunned by such a response and wanted to claim him, but Krause had already left the room. Outside the factory a car expected him, Krause aboard it and left the place.

"It seems that our friend Remington still will not cooperate with us."

Krause said to a woman who was sitting opposite him.

"Maybe he needs a little more of persuasion from your part, don't you think?"

"Taking into account that part of this plan is your idea, I don't see that you even try to help us achieve the objectives."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong my dear Aryan friend."

"Really? Prove it."

The woman smiled and handed a letter to Krause.

"It seems that certain company is about to close a big deal with Remington Industries, It could be a good idea that you go to speak with them to convince them that the deal with Remington is not as good as they think, what do you think?"

"I think... that you live up to your name, Fräulein Zehirli."

Krause answered with a wicked smile.

***---***---***

"I have been walking in this neighborhood for more than five hours and still there's not a lecture at all."

Said in annoyed tone a gray-haired man who walked the through streets of the city, the day was coming to an end and soon the night would seize the sky that already showed orange tones against a darker background.

"Although, I must accept that this area of London is very nice, I wouldn't mind having a house here."

He kept walking. From the pocket of his worn jacket he pulled out a small device that emitted short beeps, a green screen on it showed a green line which remained static.

"Nothing, not even a tiny reading."

Said the man with angry tone, he sat on a small bench leaving his hat at his side. He bent a little to ease the pain in her back, after all, some time ago that the youth had abandoned him. There he stayed for a while trying to find an error in his readings, coordinates or formulas in general. Taking his hands to his head he began to stir his hair as if by doing so he could get what he wanted.

"Everything seemed to be in place, there wasn't a margin of error as great as last time; did I forget something?"

He wondered, but before he could answered himself, a soft voice took him by surprise.

"Oh, poor man, take this, I hope this helps."

He looked up; in front of him an old lady had stopped and was looking for something in her bag. Moments later, she put something inside his hat. Then, the old lady gave him a smile and walked away slowly. The man looked inside his hat finding a pair of tickets. He jumped up and tried to draw the attention of the elderly woman.

"Madam, wait, I don't..."

When looking at the amount that the lady had left in his hat, he was surprised

"100 pounds?! Oh, thank you my lady!"

He took the money and put it inside his bag.

"At least I got something out of this day; well, it will be better to head home."

He settled back his hat and turned around just to collide face to face with a young man. Both fell to the ground clutching their heads.

"Boy, you do have a hard head."

"Oh, I'm so sorry sir, I was distracted and didn't saw you, here, let me help you."

The old man took the hand of the young to get up, thanked him and saw him as he picked up a briefcase and a bouquet of flowers.

"Are you okay?"

"Sure son, I still have strength in these old bones."

"Good to know that, but where are my manners? Jack Remington."

He said extending a hand; the old man took it giving it a firm shake.

"Doctor Tiberius Turner, at your service, but you may call me just the Doctor."

Turner felt a small vibration in his pocket. He took the small device and gave it a quick glance; the green line had begun to move.

"I see that you're kind of busy," Jack told him.

"What? Oh yes, a little, I was looking for...  some materials for an experiment."

"Are you a scientist? That is very interesting."

"Yes... I am. Hey Jack," said the Doctor cautiously, "do you live in this part of the city?"

Jack thought that it was a question a little out of place, so with some suspicion he tried to avoid the real answer.

"No, I just work around here and this is my every day way."

"I understand..."

For a moment they both watched one another in silence as if they studied each other.

"Well Jack, I don't stop you more, I bet you still have a long way to go."

"In fact. Anyway, it was a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Turner, goodbye."

"Goodbye, Sir Remington."

Tiberius leaned his hat and walked ahead, in the moment Jack passed at his side the line in his detector gave a fairly high jump and then remain static again.

"Interesting."

The Doctor murmured and something on the floor caught his eye. He bent down and picked up a feather of blue color, its size and texture were exceptional and did not resemble that of any bird that he knew. The device vibrated again and Turner approached the feather to it, the line rose again but this time kept a constant level, only when he took the feather away the line was again left without movement.

"Very interesting."

***---***---***

"Luna, I'm home."

Jack said as he closed the door.

"Thanks god everything seems to be in place, I think there was no problem at all; I was just worried in vain."

He told himself and relaxed when he saw that his house was still in one piece. He put the briefcase on a table of the living room and went to the kitchen for a bottle of juice from the refrigerator. He called for the alicorn once more but there was no answer.

"Where is she? Did she went back to her world?"

That thought made him feel strangely sad, but why? After all, if that had happened he should feel happy for her, still, it seemed to him somewhat disappointing. He took the bouquet and went upstairs realizing that the light coming from the room of his host lit the dark hallway. On entering the room, he was glad to see the alicorn lying on the bed; she was immersed in a book of considerable size which she held with a faint blue aura.

"Hi my dear Luna."

He told her, she screamed in terror and threw the book in the direction she had heard the voice. The book hit Jack squarely in the face leaving him stunned. Luna realized what had happened and ran to him.

"Oh Faust, Jack, are you all right?"

"I think that you just broke my nose, but I'll survive."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, but it's your fault; do not ever scare me like that again."

"I called you twice; I guess you didn't hear me."

She shook her head, he smiled and stood up.

"I promise I will not do it again, anyway, what were you reading to be so immersed in it?"

Jack picked up the heavy book, looked at the title and then saw that Luna had covered her face with her wings.

"Human Anatomy... certainly this is a topic that interests you a lot, if you know what I mean?"

Luna discovered her face and Jack feared for his life, the princess's eyes were full of anger and indignation.

"What are you trying to say with that? Of course I'm interested in you."

Luna took a minute to analyze what she had said; meanwhile Jack looked at her with a surprised face.

"Not that I'm interested in you," she stuttered, "I mean, in your biology, no no no, in your... on you as a human being and in your society."

"Luna, calm down, I know that what I said didn't sound very good."

"Do you think so?"

She turned her back to him, sat on the ground and crossed her arms. Jack sighed, feeling like a fool.

"Okay, I shouldn't have said something as offensive as that, I promise it will not happen again, will you forgive me?"

Jack ducked his head and put the bouquet in front of him, the sweet scent of the flowers reached Luna's nose and she turned to him and smiled.

"Of course I do, did you really thought that I meant it?"

Jack looked at her in disbelief.

"You are the worst."

He told her narrowing his eyes for a moment before starting to laugh, Luna soon joined him.

"By the way, I brought these flowers for..."

Jack could not finish the sentence; Luna jumped towards him and took a big bite out of the bouquet. He held up what little was left of the bouquet and then looked at the alicorn that chewed happily with her eyes closed.

"What? Oh come on, they are delicious; you should try and taste one."

Luna told him snatching the rest of the flowers to eat them.

"I don't know why, but I think that my garden will be in danger with you around."

He told her, Luna just shrugged and smiled at him.